1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to internal combustion motors and more specifically to a safety device for use with such motors which prevents the motor from running when the level of fuel in the fuel tank of the motor has dropped below a predetermined level.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, various savety devices have been developed for use with internal combustion motors to somehow give a warning that some feature of the motor has reached a stage that something need be done. For example, devices have been developed for giving a visual or audible warning when the fuel level of internal combustion motors becomes low. See Gregory, U.S. Pat. No. 1,712,665; Tobias, U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,410; Gondolfo, U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,698; and Meserow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,414. Other devices have been developed for giving a warning and/or shutting off internal combustion motors if the liquid coolant or lubricant thereof becomes too low to adequately cool or lubricate the motor. See Huckabee, U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,153; McGinty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,920; Ludewig et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,291; and Luteran, U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,845. In addition, Palm, U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,439 and Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,756, disclose devices for indicating, respectively, whether a refrigerating unit of the type for use with tractor-trailer trucks is performing properly, and whether the fuel level of an internal combustion motor is being unauthorizedly lowered. None of the above patents disclose or suggest the present invention.
A problem prevalent in all diesel motors is that of making sure the motor does not draw air into the fuel injectors thereof. This occurs mainly when the motor runs low on fuel. If air is drawn into the fuel injectors of a diesel motor, a complex and time consuming operation must be performed before the motor is ready to run again. That is, among other things, the injector pump must be opened and manually worked until diesel fuel flows therethrough without containing air bubbles. This operation usually takes between one and two hours. Also, when air is drawn into the fuel injectors of a diesel motor used to power a refrigeration unit such as typically used on many tractor-trailer trucks, the cargo often spoils before the diesel motor can be restarted. Various safety devices have been developed as heretofore discussed which give a visual or audible warning when the fuel level becomes low. However, such devices are disadvantageous because the warnings given often go unheeded for one reason or another.